The Century Apparatus Pistol AP5 is one of the clones of the HK SP5 (MP5) pistol-caliber carbine out there, in case you’re familiar with the MP5. Here’s a little bit about the HK MP5 before moving on with this Century AP5 review.
HK MP5 was introduced in 1966 and since then has served in militaries, police units, and even on the federal level in the US as there have been many federal agencies using it. One of the contributors to its success is its delayed roller lock blowback action which makes it deliver less felt recoil and a smooth shooting experience.
Compared to the HK MP5, the only difference the Century AP5 has is the semi-automatic action as opposed to the full action in the HK MP5. That said, keep in mind that the AP5 is made on HK machinery and originally under HK licensing as well. So there is German tooling and machinery to its build and design.
Build and Design
Regarding measurement, the AP5 features an 8.9 inch cold hammer-forged barrel with a 1:9.8” twist. The 9mm pistol has an overall length of 17.9 inches and weighs 5.5 pounds.
Speaking of its handling, the grip of the AP5 is really easy to grab and shoot with. Talking about the trigger, it does come with a trigger guard from Magpul, designed to prevent accidental contact with the trigger.
The charging handle has a feature common to HK firearms, HK slap, which allows you to slap the charging handle from the lock state into position. On the front side is a nicely textured, aggressive to the touch, yet comfortable handguard, but it doesn’t have a hand stop.
The upper receiver has a stamped design while the lower features a polymer finish. On one side of the pistol is a selector switch with just safe mode – denoted by 0 – and semi-auto firing – indicated by 1.
On the rear is an adjustable aperture drum sights which you can turn either clockwise or anticlockwise for different elevations. On the rear of the barrel is a post covered with a dome.
This pistol does come with a muzzle brake device and features a standard 1/2x28 thread tri-lug adapter designed to help hold in place any of your favorite muzzle devices, such as suppressors and the likes.
Accessories
The Century AP5 does not come with a brace but supports one. You just have to ensure you get a brace that is HK MP5/SP5 compatible, e.g. the SB Tactical HKPDW HK Brace. (pictured) We might mention that not only the brace but also other parts of the AP9 are compatible with the HKs. So, you can switch things around between these two guns.
Magazine & Ammunition
The AP5 comes with a two 30-round magazine, which is a plus, considering that will allow you to carry more rounds. As it might be expected, the pistol is compatible with HK mags. The pistol features a double mag release – button and paddle. Now your way of ejecting the ammo holding area is up to you and circumstances.
With regards to the ammo, the gun can shoot a Red Army Standard steel case cartridge and most other 9mm caliber bullets.
Recoil
The AP 5 features a roller delayed action which helps with recoil management. And it just becomes a lot more fun to shoot with the firearm with its brace attached. Put another way, it is lightweight, helps with stability, and contributes to accuracy.
Conclusion
Have you ever taken the AP5 down the range? How did it feel and does it continue to meet your expectations? Let us know in the comments.
